Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 20
“What’s going to happen to Kyle and the others?”
As I indulged in the luxurious food, guilt gnawed at me—just enough for me to start worrying a little about the others.
“They let the Black Flame Dragon escape. They’ll be taken to the capital and put on trial.”
Technically, they weren’t my people, so I could’ve just not acknowledged them. In fact, if they were convicted and locked up, that would be better for me. They’d never dream of trying to subjugate the Black Flame Dragon again.
But for some reason, my conscience kept insisting I couldn’t just turn my back on them. This was the exhausting part of being a decent person stuck in a villain’s body.
“I was there too, when we reached the lair. It was already empty by the time we arrived. They never lied.”
“If you want to defend them, do it in court. I’m just following His Majesty’s orders.”
Reynold answered indifferently, resting his chin in one hand with his elbow on the table.
“So, you really lost your memory? You’re saying you don’t remember anything at all?”
“Seems that way. When I came to not long ago, I couldn’t remember anything about my past.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. I’d just tweaked the truth a little. When I first woke up inside the lair, I didn’t have any of Lysian’s memories.
“No reason? No trigger or incident that might’ve caused it?”
Why was Reynold so curious about me? Now that I was full, his questions were starting to feel annoying.
“Nothing comes to mind except my name.”
“After you disappeared, the Black Flame Dragon began its rampage. Do you know how many people searched for you? When we needed you most, you were nowhere to be found—only to suddenly reappear now, tagging along with the hero’s party. Of course people are going to find that suspicious.”
The reason Lysian disappeared when the Black Flame Dragon appeared was simple: Lysian was the Black Flame Dragon. They were one and the same.
“Then what about the magic you used to use? You’ve forgotten it all? You’re just a normal person now?”
“Yeah. Nothing comes to me.”
“Any chance you could use it again?”
There was every chance. I had plenty of magic power, and I still had Lysian’s grimoire.
But I had zero desire to get involved in anything troublesome. If I said yes now, I’d obviously be dragged into the Black Flame Dragon subjugation.
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so? That means there’s still a sliver of possibility, doesn’t it?”
Reynold clung to even the faintest hope, pressing me further. I realized I needed to make my incompetence sound more convincing.
“No. There’s nothing. Right now, I couldn’t even handle a low-tier monster by myself. If you don’t believe me, ask Kyle directly.”
“So even our last hope is gone.”
Reynold didn’t bother hiding the disappointment on his face, even though I was sitting right there.
“So, you said you were planning to leave? Where to?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I was only with Kyle’s party until we left the forest. We’re parting ways now.”
At last, it seemed Reynold was going to let me go. But his next words were the exact opposite of what I’d hoped for.
“But what should we do…? Now that we’ve met by chance like this, I have to report it to His Majesty. So I’ll need you to come with us quietly.”
Ah, crap. This was bad.
I’d been so sure he’d let me go after a simple conversation. I was an idiot for believing that. But it was already too late.
“Guards! Load this one onto the prisoner transport as well!”
At Reynold’s shout, soldiers rushed into the tent.
Just moments ago, he’d been treating me so generously—now he’d flipped completely and was treating me as a member of the hero’s party.
But I had no way out. I had no choice but to follow as the soldiers led me out of the tent.
After walking a short distance between tents, surrounded by guards, I saw a large transport wagon near the forest’s edge. It was crudely built with iron bars. Inside, Kyle and the rest of the party were already imprisoned.
“Lysian!”
Spotting me approaching the wagon, Kyle jumped to his feet and shouted.
“I thought you’d left! Why are you back?!”
I had also thought I’d be free by now. Not in a million years had I imagined I’d end up crammed into a narrow, stinking prisoner wagon with the hero’s party.
“Get in, now!”
A soldier opened the door and shoved me roughly from behind. Without even a chance to resist, I stumbled inside the wagon.
“What took you so long in there?”
Kyle leaned in close and asked, but I just waved my hand wearily.
“I’m tired. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
